Burning Innocence
by Sifauna Auria
Summary: Kagome's soul is being devoured by drugs that were introduced to her by Naraku. She deeply regrets her mistake because she lost herself, she doesn't know who she is anymore.


**Burning Innocence**

**By: Sifauna Auria**

-

_So long ago, I threw away my brightness._

_And like the light from the morning sun, it can never return._

Half Pain : Bana

-

Bright orange flames blazed in the darkness. The flames growing ever more harsh. Bursts of warmth radiated from the fire onto a young maiden's deathly pale skin.

Her azure eyes glowed with an ethereal light while her blood red lips pursed in a pout.

Her dark curls hung matted and tangled against her sweat-drenched face.

She was clad in a plain, hideous brown robe that was tattered, frayed, and patched.

As the fire grew more violent, a cold bitter smile tugged at the girl's cracked lips. She was mesmerized by the fire. She licked her bleeding lips in satisfaction, but the shadow that dwelt trapped inside her eyes cringed in fright.

The shadow that resembled a chidish love and innocence shrunk back from the florescent flames as if dreading its destructive power.

But the teenager ignored her childish instincts to run away, instead she stepped closer to the dancing ember that now reached the height of her waist.

She calmly allowed one of her skinny pallid arms to lightly brush the edge of the combustion. As she felt the heat seep through her arm and spread throughout her body, a desolate aura was emitted from the shadow. The inner child silently pleaded to be released.

The silhouette of the young maiden that was created by the fire, threw her head back and laughed. A harsh, biting laugh resounded throughout the damp and eerie enclosure.

Pure white powder nourished the flames. The fire immediately burst into a much larger one. Its arms reaching out to envelop the girl. A crackled exploded deep within the fire.

The maiden gave a deadly poisonous smile. Her eyes were opened wide with crazed delight. A droplet of saliva trickled slowly down the side of her chin through her parted lips.

She reached over her shoulder and undid the buttons that held the robe over her body; she let the tanned garment fall in a crumpled heap next to her feet.

Her exposed body was gaunt and a pitiful sight. Dry, dead flakes of skin clung desperatedly to her sickly translucent body. Her untrimmed toenails were a disgusting mould yellow with dirt embedded in them. Her legs were long and bony, seemingly unable to support her weight. Only a small amount of waxen flesh stretched tightly across her bones. Her ribs jutted out sharply, almost appearing to penetrate through her skin.

This frail girl gracefully strode into the fire. Surprisingly, the intensity of the flames didn't seem to effect her. The maiden stood still, holding her head erect. She arched her back as she held her arms and legs in a ballet position.

A sweet tune was hummed by the girl as she moved in an elegant fashion. She twirled and pranced around inside the burning combustion.

Dancing and dancing, she did not realized that her dark tresses were smouldering. The fire did not pain her physically, however, it did mentally. The shadow within her eyes slowly faded into the darkness. Sweet child of innocence vanished, leaving an empty shell behind.

As the dance grew more soulful, the blaze escalated and swallowed the girl. Pain did not overcome her, instead, she became a pile of ash with her tattered garb lying mournfully beside her.

-

"Tadaima." A 16 year old girl drawled to her mother. She dropped her keys on the table while she tugged off her shoes. She flicked her greasy ebony hair out of her cold sapphire eyes with her gnarled fingers.

"Itte rasshai Kagome." Her mother whispered. The woman gazed at Kagome wistfully. Longing to hold her daughter close, she reached out and gently touched Kagome's scrawny shoulder.

Kagome flinched from the warmth of her mother's hand, so she quickly shrugged it off.

Her mother stared heartbroken into Kagome's empty eyes; searching for an answer.

Kagome felt something missing while she glowered into her mother's concerned orbs. 'What was she missing?' She did not know.

Instead she ignored the nagging feeling and walked away from her mother and into her messy room.

Kagome surveyed her room with distaste. The purple paint was peeling off while three holes decorated the wall. Dirty clothes were thrown everywhere. Pictures of her and her previous two boyfriends were plastered around her room.

What Kagome despised about her room was not the poor furnishings, nor the disgusting paint, but rather the pictures. They reminded her of deceit and pain, but the memory that was most vivid was her one fatal mistake.

She reached out and touched the picture of her first boyfriend forlornly. She seemed so carefree and joyful in that picture. Her eyes had sparkled with delight and innocence; her smile genuine. She had been so happy with him - Inuyasha. But she left him, and that was her deadly error.

She left sweet, gentle Inuyasha for deceitful Naraku. At first, Naraku seemed the perfect boyfriend. Hot, sexy, and old enough to drive. But when Naraku started to take her to daily night parties, her grades dropped, and she alienated all her loyal, caring friends. However, the worst thing he did to her was introducing her to the highly addictive drugs.

Because of drugs, Kagome's hygienic obsession ceased, her health deteriorated under the poison, her savings for college spent, and the rare arguments with her mother became constant, and heated with anger. She had lost herself to drugs. Her former childish self was destroyed; murdered by Naraku's lies.

Naraku turned out to be a drug dealer, preying on naive girls like Kagome. Inuyasha had tried to warn her, but she foolishly brushed away his sincere concern, hurting him tremendously.

The picture of Naraku and herself did not have the trusting, unblemished happiness that the picture of her and Inuyasha contained. With Naraku, Kagome's eyes seemed glazed and lifeless, even her hair appeared dead. Her smiles seemed feigned and forced.

The feeling of loss overwhelmed her upon realizing what she was missing. Her spirit was missing. The part of her that trusted everthing. The part of her that loved and expected nothing in return. The part of her that appreciated everything, and the part of her that smiled at everyone. 'What destroyed it? Lies by Naraku? No.' Kagome shook her head vehemently.

She reached underneath her bed and pulled out a shoebox. She lifted the lid open, revealing packets of white powder.

Kagome sat in a meditative state with her eyes closed. With trembling hands, she opened the package. She leaned over the opened packet and took a tentative sniff. Kagome's body started to tremble uncontrollably, so she deeply inhaled the soft powdery substance.

A volcanic eruption took place inside her. Hot magma flowed throughout her body, burying a russet gown, and smothering the pile of ashes that were the only remnants of a past self; long forgotten.

-

A/N: I guess you could say that this fic is weird...ok...if you did not understand the story then here are a few key points.

1) the girl at the beginning of the story is Kagome's inner child/self/soul

2) the "fire" symbolizes the drug

3) if you still don't understand - then either re-read the story again or leave me a review with your email and I'll try and explain it to you.

Please review and tell me what you thought of this fanfic...I really want to know what you people think.


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